Break out the books, toys and puzzles and sharpen your pillow fort skills. Most St. Louis family attractions and organizations that offer children's programming have closed their doors and cancelled events for the next several weeks to help prevent the further spread of COVID-19. Here is a handy list of what's closed (and for how long) that will be updated daily as new information becomes available. Please note that projected opening dates may change.
Family Night with Fredbird at Cardinals Nation in Ballpark Village has been cancelled for the remaining 2020 dates (Wednesdays through April 1).
The Magic House has temporarily closed both locations (The Magic House in Kirkwood and The Magic House, MADE for Kids in the Central West End). Most events through late April have been cancelled.
Saint Louis Zoo. The Zoo announced a temporary closure to the public until further notice. All Breakfast with the Bunny events have been cancelled. Look for an announcement sometime in April about a possible re-opening date. Zoo officials are closely monitoring COVID-19 developments and are working to keep Zoo animals safe from exposure to disease. In the meantime, check out the Zoo's social media channels and stlzootube as they #BringTheStlZooToYou!
COCA has extended its closure to Sunday, May 3. Performances of TRIumphant: A World of Dance have been postponed to June 12-14, and COCAcabana 2020, originally scheduled for April 24, has been cancelled. Summer camps remain on schedule.
The Saint Louis Science Center announced it will be closed to the public until further notice.
Saint Louis Art Museum. The Saint Louis Art Museum has closed its doors and cancelled all events through mid-April. Metrotix will refund tickets purchased for the exhibition Millet and Modern Art: Van Gogh to Dali, as well as other ticked programs and lectures. Get more details at slam.org.
Purina Farms has cancelled all events through May 9. This includes Springtime Village and all egg hunts, as well as events hosted by outside groups, clubs and organizations. The opening of the Visitor Center will be delayed. Visit purinafarms.com for more information.
The Gateway Arch Tram Ride to the Top has suspended operations. Riverboat cruises are also suspended until further notice. The Gateway Arch, Old Courthouse and Gateway Arch National Park are all closed.
St. Louis Public Library. All branches are closed until further notice. Audiobooks are available at slpl.org.
St. Louis County Library. All branches of the St. Louis County Library will be closed and all library events cancelled through April 3. Visit slcl.org to download books, music, videos and more. All due dates and holds will be extended until branches reopen.
St. Charles County Library has closed all branches until April 5. The due date of all materials currently checked out is extended through April 15. All classes and events are cancelled through May 10.
Laumeier Sculpture Park has cancelled tours, programs and events through April 30. The park's grounds, however, remain open from 8 a.m. to 30 minutes past sundown and are free of charge. Families are welcome to explore the 105-acre park while still maintaining recommended distance (six feet) from others. On March 19, Laumeier announced it has cancelled its Annual Art Fair, held each year on Mother's Day weekend (this year's fair was set for May 8-10, 2020). It's the first time in the fair's history that it has been cancelled.
Gateway Region YMCA has closed all branches until March 29 with the intent to reopen March 30. The Y plans to reopen its Early Childhood Centers on Monday, March 23 after deep cleaning all facilities. Emergency child care will be offered at some branches beginning March 23 as well. Go to gwrymca.org for more details.
Play Street Museum in St. Charles has announced a temporary closure but is offering a wide selection of toys, art supplies, Slime To Go Kits, and Mix & Match Boredom Kits for play at home for pickup curbside on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon. A free return play pass is included in any purchase of $40 or more. Local delivery is also available! Order online at stlouis.playstreetmuseum.com.
Mad Science of St. Louis has cancelled its after-school classes but will begin offering online classes the week of March 23. Registration opens March 19 at stlouis.madscience.org
DaySpring Arts. Performances of Frozen Jr., originally scheduled for March 27-29, have been postponed.
The Challenger Learning Center has closed and cancelled all events through April 5.
Missouri History Museum has closed and all events cancelled through May 9.
The St. Louis Aquarium is closed through March 31.
City Museum has announced suspended operations through March 31.
Missouri Botanical Garden, the Butterfly House and Shaw Nature Reserve are all closed until April 3 and will reassess opening dates as needed. All events and programs have been cancelled through May 1.
Miss Kelly's Gym in Creve Coeur has paused classes and Open Gym sessions through March 20 and will reassess weekly whether to stay open.
Artscope has closed through the end of March. Cartoon Club and Craft Club are cancelled for the month as well.
Yucandu Art Studio has closed temporarily but is offering curbside pickup of art take-home kits between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Call 314-963-4400 to order or for more information. Visit yucandu.com to see sample art project kits.
The Contemporary Art Museum is closed until further notice and all Stroller Tours and Morning Playdates are cancelled. Education programs are suspended until local schools are open again.
STAGES Performing Arts Academy has suspended all programming through April 3.
Sweetology in Town and Country and O'Fallon, Mo., has cancelled all drop-in decorating classes and instead is offering decorating kits available to order online.
St. Charles County Parks has cancelled all events through May 10.
St. Peters Rec Plex is closed through April 3.
The Lodge Des Peres will remain closed and all events cancelled through April 5.
The Center of Clayton and all playgrounds in Clayton parks have been closed until at least April 5.
The World Chess Hall of Fame and the St. Louis Chess Club are closed until further notice. Private lessons will continue but will be held over Skype. Weekly classes will be held online only and broadcast through the club's YouTube and Twitch.Tv channels.
Easter Egg Hunts. Many Easter egg hunts have been cancelled, including Hare in the Air at Logan University, Get Hopping Easter Egg Hunt in Des Peres Park, the Jurassic Egg Hunt sponsored by the St. Louis County Parks Department, the Bunny Hop in Clayton, and most others. Look for updates as more announcements are made.
Hunt for a Cure, originally set for April 11, has been rescheduled for May 31 in Queeny Park. Get registration information here.
The Gateway Children's Book Festival that had been scheduled for April 4 at Hixson Middle School has been cancelled.
Summer Camps. No summer camps have announced closures and all are expected to operate on schedule. Use our 2020 Summer Camp Guide to plan your child's summer fun now and take advantage of early sign-up discounts!
More than a million lights will illuminate some of the Missouri Botanical Garden's most iconic locations, walkways will be transformed into sensory light tunnels providing an explosion of visual magic, and traditional candlelight village displays, festive drinks, s'mores and great photo opportunities will delight crowds of all ages.
Enjoy the iconic lights that adorn the Anheuser-Busch Brewery close up during walking tours. Brewery Lights features more than one million twinkling lights and lots of family friendly activities. New this year is an enhanced parade with Clydesdales and street performers, giant branded nutcrackers and interactive stage performances.
At Breakfast with Santa at Eckerts, your child can tell Santa their Christmas wishes, have their photo taken with him and decorate some holiday cookies while your whole family enjoys a farm-fresh breakfast.
Families are invited to the Saint Louis Art Museum on Sunday afternoon to participate in free hands-on art activities with fun themes and to explore the galleries. Each Family Sunday focuses on a different family-friendly theme.
Young visitors and their families are invited to the Energy Stage to enjoy interactive read-alouds of science-themed picture books. Story times are followed by a short demonstration or discussion connected to the book's main concepts.